Automotive News articles from October 2005

Automotive News archives from October 2005

Production.
October 3, 2005... 3 tables: Scheduled plant overtime * Plant closings * North America car and truck production: see print copy

Calendar.(Calendar)
October 3, 2005... Sept. 30-Oct. 23 - State Fair of Texas Auto Show, Fair Park, Dallas, 214-421-8728, www.bigtex.com/autoshow.html Oct. 5-9 - California International Auto Show, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif., 717-566-6100, www.caautoshow.com ...

Delphi must be saved.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... A Delphi Chapter 11 filing would be devastating for the supplier's customers, vendors, employees, shareholders and the entire supply sector. It would create a cash crunch for Delphi Corp.'s North American customers and suppliers. And if...

Bentley builds Flying Spurs in Germany.(News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Henning Krogh Bentley, Volkswagen AG's English luxury brand, will build about 400 Continental Flying Spurs in Germany this year. Bentley is using VW's factory in Dresden to handle the overflow from its plant in Crewe, England....

Bill Ford: 'I love this place'.(News)(Ford Motor Co.)(Interview)
October 3, 2005... DETROIT - Bill Ford says he's committed to being Ford Motor Co.'s CEO during this unfolding restructuring. On the other hand, if someone more suited to the job comes along, that's OK, too. The Ford family scion, 48, answered questions about...

Auto News Digest.(Briefs)
October 3, 2005... Nissan's goal: 40% CVTs DETROIT - Nissan Motor Co. is gearing up to put continuously variable transmissions into four out of every 10 vehicles it sells in the United States by 2008. That will represent at least 400,000 cars and trucks....

Upgraded Nissan stores make gains.(News)(Nissan North America Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Nissan dealers who made store improvements as part of a national image program this year have gained a point of market share on average, according to Nissan North America Inc. About half of Nissan's 1,072 U.S....

Fear of 'Dogpatch' is way overblown; Nissan workers fret over possible move.(Nissan Motor Company Ltd.)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell At first glance, the news is astonishing: Nissan might move its North American headquarters from southern California to Nashville. It's shocking because the Asian auto industry has been blending into the...

Employee pricing: 5 lessons; Did the experiment work? Yes. And no.(Big 3's blowout summer clearance sale)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Jason Stein, Jamie LaReau Employee pricing, the Big 3's blowout summer clearance sale, is winding down. Did it work? It depends on how you measure it. With automakers selling vehicles below invoice, inventories were...

Volvo plans to double sales of C70; Redesigned 4-seater is part of planned product blitz.(News)(Volvo Car Corp.)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Richard Feast Volvo Car Corp. has great expectations for the new-generation C70. The company believes it can sell 16,000 units of the coupe cabriolet annually. That's double the level of the old C70, which went out of...

New year, new auto rules; Tire monitors, CAFE among '06 changes.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Harry Stoffer It's a new year, but the auto industry isn't popping many corks. Oct. 1 marks the official start of the model year, and the date often brings with it a fresh round of government requirements. This year is no...

Nissan adds budget car to U.S. lineup.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Dale Jewett Nissan North America Inc. will expand its U.S. lineup next year with a small hatchback and sedan named Versa. The automaker is spending $800 million to upgrade its plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, to build the cars for...

Is California really cutting edge?(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Kathy Jackson Nissan Motor Co. may move its U.S. headquarters from Southern California to the Nashville, Tenn., area, a prospect that troubles some Nissan employees in the Golden State. Is California really a better location...

Billionaire investor takes 5% stake in Visteon.(Suppliers)(Caxton Corp.)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Robert Sherefkin, David Barkholz What does Bruce Kovner know about Visteon Corp.? The billionaire commodities trader and hedge fund chief quietly has become the fourth largest shareholder in the giant auto parts maker after...

Pedestrians step into safety spotlight.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Harry Stoffer Pedestrian safety has not been as big an issue in the United States as in Europe and Japan, but that could change. Congress quietly added a provision to a new, multiyear transportation-funding law requiring a...

Letters To The Editor.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 3, 2005... Drop the campaign for higher CAFE To the Editor: It certainly may be true that "the time is now to increase mpg for cars, trucks'' (Opinion, Sept. 12). However, your continuing, now almost hysterical, rant for higher corporate average...

Supply Line.(Briefs)(KS Bearings Inc. and Miba Bearings US LLC)(HBPO GmbH opens a plant in Mexico)(Preh Automotive opens a plant in Mexico)
October 3, 2005... Engine parts makers form joint venture DETROIT - KS Bearings Inc. and Miba Bearings US LLC have formed a joint venture to make metal components for bearings for the companies' plants in the United States, Germany and Austria. The...

Nussel joins Automotive News as industry editor.(News)(Philip Nussel appointed)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Veteran Detroit journalist Philip Nussel has joined Automotive News as industry editor, with responsibility for coverage of suppliers, information technology, engineering and transplant manufacturing. Nussel, 40, has been managing editor of...

Battery battle; Judge's ruling gets Delphi, JCI talking.(Suppliers)(Johnson Controls Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Greg Migliore Johnson Controls Inc. bought most of Delphi Corp.'s battery business in June, but the two sides were in court last week complaining that the other had reneged on parts of the deal. A federal judge ruled they were...

Ford needs Focus to gain momentum in China.(Ford Motor Co.)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Alysha Webb Ford Motor Co. is chasing General Motors in China, and it's counting on the Focus to gain ground. But the sedan, which was launched several weeks ago, is in the most competitive segment in China. "The Focus...

Honda considers on-site suppliers.(Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Rising transportation costs could push Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. to move some North American suppliers closer to its assembly plants here and in Marysville, Ohio. Larry Jutte, Honda's senior vice...

Turbocharging hits 100.(in detail)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink Turbocharger technology is a century old next month. On Nov. 13, 1905, Swiss engineer Alfred Buchi got a U.S. patent for an exhaust gas-driven air compressor, today called a turbocharger. But it was...

Industry looks to turbos to cut emissions; Smaller gasoline engines lower fuel consumption.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Wim Oude Weernink European carmakers and suppliers see gasoline turbochargers as another weapon in the battle to reduce emissions. By introducing turbochargers, automakers can offer smaller-displacement engines that consume...

Mitsubishi banks on overseas pickup.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Yuzo Yamaguchi, James B. Treece Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is counting on a redesigned small pickup, the Triton, to help reverse its fortunes. The financially struggling automaker plans to build about 150,000 redesigned Tritons...

Sharp drop in U.S. sales spurs Volvo cuts; Company will slash 1,500 jobs by year end.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Bradford Wernle A sharp decline in U.S. sales has pushed Volvo Car Corp. to slash costs to preserve its status as parent Ford Motor Co.'s most profitable luxury brand. Volvo will reduce its manpower by as many as 1,500...

A tax increase on gasoline is long overdue; Plan must include an energy tax credit for the poor.(Opinion)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Mike Jackson In light of today's high gasoline prices, if you mention that you support the idea of an increased gasoline tax, a lot of people will look at you as though you've been inhaling fumes. I believe that those who resist...

Renault develops cars faster.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Sylviane de Saint-Seine Renault SA says it can reduce product development times to just two years by using digital software. The third-generation Clio was developed in 28 months, the French automaker's quickest time to date....

BMW sees urea as key to diesels in U.S.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: David Sedgwick, Richard Truett Anybody can get motor oil or windshield washer fluid at the corner gasoline station. But where do you get urea? Urea is an ammonialike liquid that is squirted from a canister into diesel exhaust...

Magna Steyr will lose E-class, G-class assembly.(Magna Steyr AG und Company KG)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Jens Meiners Magna Steyr will not build next-generation versions of the four-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz E class and G class. The loss is a bump in the road for the rapidly growing Austrian contract assembler. Another will come...

Behr plans 2009 launch of CO2 A/C system.(Behr GmbH & Co.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Douglas Bolduc German supplier Behr GmbH & Co. KG says its CO2-based air conditioning systems will be ready for production by 2009. The company could produce the systems now, but it's working to reduce the cost to the customer,...

Audi wants better service, snazzier stores.(Audi of America Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Dave Guilford, Diana T. Kurylko Audi will prod dealers to improve service departments and upgrade showrooms, its North American chief says. Johan de Nysschen, who heads Audi of America Inc., says he is working with dealers to...

Auto News Briefly.(Chrysler Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp.)
October 3, 2005... Chrysler trades Ariz. test track for big stack of cash Who says U.S. auto companies can't make money? The Chrysler group's agreement last week to sell its Arizona proving grounds is the biggest land deal in the state's history, according to...

Zetsche gets to work.(Final assembly)(Dieter Zetsche)(Daimler-Benz AG cuts jobs)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche was one of the stars at the Frankfurt auto show, introducing a new S class. But now the real work begins: pulling the German luxury brand out of its funk. Last week Mercedes offered buyouts to workers in an...

Chrysler, Ford executives set for congress.(News)
October 3, 2005... Rising gasoline prices are altering consumer vehicle preferences rapidly. Two executives who must use their experience in other markets to confront those changes in North America will speak at the 2006 Automotive News World Congress. Phil...

Don't handcuff the dealer on price.(automobile dealers)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: KEITH CRAIN Some automakers today are trying to manage the retail prices of their cars and light trucks. It's not going to work. Somebody has to realize that when all is said and done, it's the automobile dealer who will...

Corrections.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
October 3, 2005... In a story on Page 10 of the Sept. 26 issue, a percentage was incorrect. Women hold 6.8 percent of the 59 seats on the boards of public auto dealership groups. In a story on Page 32 of the Sept. 26 issue, the name of audio and video...

Amerigon expects 30% more revenue from GM deal.(News)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Terry Kosdrosky Amerigon Inc. expects a revenue boost as high as 30 percent next year thanks to its product being designed into General Motors' new line of full-sized SUVs. It's the first time Amerigon's seat heating and...

VW: Better Passat, but flat sales.(News)(Volkswagen of America Inc.)(Volkswagen Passat)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko Despite the numerous improvements, more-powerful engines and competitive price, Volkswagen of America Inc. doesn't expect U.S. sales of the new-generation Passat to increase substantially. The larger Passat...

CAW-GM: Sneak preview of '07?(Final assembly)(Canadian Auto Workers Union)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... After quick rounds with Ford and the Chrysler group, the Canadian Auto Workers union and General Motors needed almost every minute before a strike deadline last week to cut a deal. In the end, GM followed the pattern set by its rivals,...

Chrysler helps Gulf dealers restock.(News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Arlena Sawyers The Chrysler group has set up an online listing of used vehicles available for purchase by auto dealerships hit by Hurricane Katrina. If needed, the site also will be open to dealerships damaged by Hurricane...

Bosch plans more hybrid collaboration.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Klaus-Dieter Floerecke Robert Bosch GmbH plans to collaborate more with companies that can help it fill gaps in its hybrid expertise. "We have considerable hybrid competency in-house,'' said Bernd Bohr, head of Bosch's...

Delphi CEO prepares to cull holdings.(News)(Steve Miller)
October 3, 2005... Byline: David Barkholz Delphi Corp. CEO Steve Miller says he will begin in earnest this quarter the work of deciding what businesses the parts supplier should keep or divest. By the end of this month, Miller says Delphi should know...

Volvo won't delay new products.(News)(Volvo Car Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Bradford Wernle Volvo Car Corp.'s cost cutting will not affect any of its product programs. The Swedish carmaker has a busy launch schedule over the next several years. It started with the debut of the C70 coupe...

Foamex files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Rhoda Miel Flexible polyurethane maker Foamex International Inc. has entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of a restructuring plan that will trade $523 million in debt for equity. The Linwood, Pa., company filed for...

More female execs, but auto industry still has barriers.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Women have made great strides in the five years since Automotive News first profiled 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry. But automakers, suppliers and dealership groups ought to do more to help women advance to the top. ...

Activist Nader says he's back on the auto beat.(News)(Ralph Nader )(Interview)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Harry Stoffer Ralph Nader is back. Forty years after his landmark book, Unsafe at Any Speed, reshaped the auto safety debate, the 71-year-old consumer advocate is returning to the fray. In August, Nader pressured Ford...

Clarification.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
October 3, 2005... A correction on Page 3 of the Sept. 12 issue said incorrectly that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration removed the 2005 Nissan Maxima and Infiniti FX35 and FX45 from its recall database because their noncompliance with a safety...

Ex-Visteon plants offer entree to Ford Motor.(Visteon Corp. (Dearborn, Michigan))(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: David Barkholz A good way to remain a Ford Motor Co. supplier is to buy one or more of the 17 factories that Ford is taking back from Visteon Corp., a Ford vice president said. Al Ver, a 33-year Ford veteran picked to be CEO of...

Delphi probe widens.(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Federal investigators are casting a wide net in their probe of current and former executives of Delphi Corp. Regulators have subpoenaed records of stock trades made by past and current Delphi executives, including former CFO Alan Dawes and...

Revival II: Bill Ford's big test; Does Ford have the right team for a turnaround?(Ford Motor co.)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Amy Wilson Early this decade, three of the industry's biggest names were teetering on the edge of disaster: Nissan, Chrysler and Ford. All three companies got new leadership. Today, Nissan Motor Co. is making money like a...

Wipro looks for U.S. partners; India's No. 2 IT provider wants to be a top auto supplier.
October 3, 2005... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Wipro Ltd. is seeking partners in the United States to help meet its goal of becoming one of the top five information technology providers to the auto industry in the next three to five years. If it achieves its...

A place for everything.(General Motors Corp. Chevrolet Motor Div.'s Impala, Rolls-Royce North America Inc.'s Phantom and Chrysler Corp.'s Dodge Ram Mega Cab)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Automakers are jazzing up vehicle interiors, and that means their designers are paying more attention to things such as functionality. For 2006 vehicles, innovative storage areas abound. Here are five examples. Flip and fold The...

Dancing with VW: The plot thickens.(Final assembly)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Is Volkswagen AG - which hasn't been setting the world on fire - suddenly the hot property of the auto world? It was revealed last week that the mystery investor buying VW shares was sports car maker Porsche AG. And a German magazine,...

Tire industry sales rise 15%.(industry report)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Bruce Davis Global tire industry revenues jumped 15 percent in 2004 after several years of steady but restrained growth. Last year's surge was fueled by higher volume and prices and currency exchange factors. Estimated...

VEHICLE DIET: LOSE THE SPARE TIRE.(News)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Harry Stoffer The spare tire's days may be numbered. The latest sign: The 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata has no spare, even if a buyer declines optional run-flat tires. A puncture repair kit is tucked onboard instead. Another tool is...

Rita's wrath tests auto dealers.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Gail Kachadourian As Hurricane Rita bore down on the Texas coast, George Mulkey, a dealership manager in Beaumont, Texas, was sounding like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life. Jimmy Stewart's character in the 1946 film...

Virginia supplier doubles wheel hub output.(News)(Virginia Forge Company)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell A little known but highly automated forging plant in Buchanan, Va., is expanding to double its output of wheel hub components for pickups and SUVs. Virginia Forge Co., a Tier 2 supplier, will spend $18.3...

Chrysler wants Tier 1s to use more minority suppliers.(News)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Mary Connelly In 2006, the Chrysler group will require Tier 1 suppliers to use more content from minority-controlled companies. Chrysler wants 8 percent of content on each Tier 1 contract to be derived from minority-controlled...

Presto, chango - a Marrakesh for Wolfsburg.(Final assembly)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Volkswagen will build the Marrakesh, a small SUV based on the Golf platform, at its main plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. But landing the project took some sleight of hand by VW and its union, IG Metall. VW had threatened to build the SUV...

Obituaries.(Frederick Stewart )(Brief Article)(Obituary)
October 3, 2005... Frederick Stewart PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Frederick Stewart, retired vice president of government affairs for the former American Motors and former vice president of engineering for the former Kaiser Jeep Corp., died here Aug. 30. He was 81.

Better-behaved Sport Trac.(News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Ford promises improved ride and handling when the redesigned 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac goes on sale next spring. The new Sport Trac shares the frame that was created for the 2006 Explorer, along with that vehicle's independent rear...

Chapter 11 can trim wages - but risks, costs are high.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Robert Sherefkin If the CEO of Delphi Corp. can't get wage concessions from the UAW, a bankruptcy court judge could help. Although Steve Miller has been unsuccessful in that effort, CEOs of auto parts suppliers Citation Corp....

3800 V-6: GM's workhorse runs its course.(News)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Richard Truett Time is catching up with Buick's seemingly ageless V-6 engine. The venerable workhorse, which set several industry benchmarks for quality, reliability, durability, performance, fuel economy and manufacturing...

GM's view of its Vue: More bang for the hybrid buck.(News)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Jason Stein General Motors is confident that its Saturn Vue Green Line will save fuel - at a price that makes it easier for buyers to swallow the extra cost of a hybrid. Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president of vehicle...

Nissan will bring Cube to U.S.(News)(Column)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Kathy Jackson Nissan plans to sell the boxy Cube car in the United States, along with the Versa small car. Both the Cube and Versa will be smaller than the Sentra. The new cars will compete in the growing budget-car segment...

Visteon CEO: More cutting ahead; Johnston eyes sale of noncore plants.(Suppliers)(Interview)
October 3, 2005... Byline: David Barkholz, Robert Sherefkin As Visteon Corp. prepared last week to send 23 unprofitable North American plants and operations back to Ford Motor Co. as part of a $2.25 billion bailout, its CEO said the cutting was far from...

Late News.(Delphi Corp., Collins and Aikman Corp. and Chrysler Europe S.A.)
October 3, 2005... Delphi says payments to vendors on schedule DETROIT - Delphi Corp. said Friday that it would pay its vendors as scheduled on Tuesday, Oct. 4, and that it had more than $1.6 billion in cash at the end of the third quarter. Vendors to...

Dealers.(awards)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Milestones * Randy Motts of Abeloff Pontiac-GMC-Nissan in Stroudsburg, Pa., received a 35-year award for Nissan from Nissan North America Inc. CAPTION(S): 25 with Buick. Alan Young, right, of Alan Young Pontiac-Buick-GMC in North...

Revival II: Bill Ford's big test; Ford Motor makes peace with suppliers.(Interview)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Ford Motor Co. appears ready to end its on-again, off-again price-cutting wars with its own suppliers. Last week, Tony Brown, Ford's global purchasing chief, introduced new purchasing guidelines that will make...

Center wants to know if witness altered evidence.(News)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Harry Stoffer A California court has been asked to open sealed records relating to an expert witness for automakers who was accused of tampering with evidence. Robert Gratzinger, who regularly testifies for automakers in...

High gasoline prices lead to a Smart decision.(Final assembly)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Edward Lapham The on-again, off-again plans of Mercedes-Benz to import its Smart commuter car to the United States seem to rise and fall along with gasoline prices. Earlier in the year, the prospects for Smart models coming to...

Toyota eases rules for used-vehicle certification.(News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Toyota Division has relaxed its standards for certified used vehicles to get more vehicles into the program. Toyota says it has had a shortage of certified used vehicles for more than a year. The new rules...

Ford pressured over flying plugs.(product defect leads to legal case)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Mel Hewitt, 43, district manager for a chain of California computer stores, says he has been a Ford man all his life. But his loyalty has been tested ever since a spark plug blew out of his 2000 Excursion's V-10 engine during a trip through...

The industry gathers to honor leading women.(News)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... The massive global automotive industry is really a tightly knit community. Last week, more than 900 members of the automotive family celebrated in Detroit at Automotive News' dinner to honor 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto...

Heuliez beefs up seat business.(Suppliers)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Jesse Snyder jsnyder@craincom.de Heuliez wants to win more seating contracts to reduce its reliance on contract manufacturing, one of the industry's most volatile sectors. The French coachbuilder's biggest contract since...

Industry seeks better overseas shipment tracking.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Alex Ricciuti autonews@crain.com Automakers and suppliers have started a project to improve the way they track overseas shipments. The Automotive Industry Action Group aims to increase the electronic tracking of parts shipments...

Dealers.(People)(Paul and Dwight Healey of Healey Bros. Automotive Group make donations)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Citizenship * Paul and Dwight Healey of Healey Bros. Automotive Group in Goshen, N.Y., donated $100,000 to the American Cancer Society. Healey Bros. owns eight dealerships and handle 10 franchises...

Dewar, Hesterberg are on Congress roster.(News)
October 10, 2005... Two executives with broad experience in reaching out to consumers in the cutthroat North American market will speak at the 2006 Automotive News World Congress. Earl Hesterberg, CEO of Group 1 Automotive Inc., and Brent Dewar, General...

Expect the unexpected from Japanese designers.(News)
October 10, 2005... The Tokyo Motor Show unleashes the creativity of the Japanese auto industry, and this year's event will be no exception. Here is an advance sampling of vehicles at the show. Media days are Oct. 19 and 20. Automotive News will publish a...

Ensuring a lasting legacy; Wayne Kuni's succession plan enables him to donate his business proceeds to charity yet keep his stores intact.(Insight)(Kuni Automotive)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Donna Harris How much is enough? Wayne Kuni has pondered that question at length, especially since he learned two years ago that he has lung cancer. Kuni, 74, is chairman and founder of Kuni Automotive, which operates 10 auto...

Low wages have carmakers rushing to central Europe; Companies seek relief from western Europe's high labor costs.(News)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Lyle Frink autonews@crain.com Hyundai Motor Co.'s planned assembly plant in the Czech Republic will be part of a 15-factory cluster in four central European countries. Automakers seeking relief from high labor costs in western...

Dealer's restaurant is a 'destination'.(Insight)(Richard Rubio of Manhattan Motorcars of the Hamptons)(Interview)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Gail Kachadourian Richard Rubio, dealer principal of Manhattan Motorcars of the Hamptons, built an upscale Italian restaurant above his luxury-vehicle showroom. He spoke with Staff Reporter Gail Kachadourian in August. What's...

Big trouble for big SUVs; Sales plummet and used-ute prices slide, but used Corollas actually gain value.
October 10, 2005... Byline: Arlena Sawyers Last July, Chevrolet dealer Tim Walters took a 2003 Ford Expedition in trade. He's still waiting for a buyer. The big SUV had 34,000 miles on it, and Walters took it to auction three times. It attracted no bids,...

Lamborghinis and linguine; Dealer Richard Rubio serves up luxury cars, fine Italian cuisine.(opening of Manhattan Motorcars)
October 10, 2005... Byline: Gail Kachadourian For those who want their champagne wishes and caviar dreams to come true, auto dealer Richard Rubio is an enabler. In July, Rubio opened Manhattan Motorcars of the Hamptons, a luxury dealership in Westhampton...